--------------------------------------------------------------  CHILDREN AND FAMILIES HEADLINES
Rise in Preschool Cavities Prompts Anesthesia Use The New York Times, Catherine Saint Louis | March 6, 2012 Dentists nationwide say they are seeing more preschoolers at all income levels with 6 to 10 cavities or more. The level of decay is so severe that they often recommend using general anesthesia. Report: Minority Students Face Harsher Punishment USA Today/Associated Press | March 6, 2012 A report released by the Education Department raises questions about whether students of all races are disciplined evenhandedly in America's schools. Charting a Century of Change in American Girlhood The Washington Post, Monica Hesse | March 4, 2012 The Girls Scouts of America turns 100 this month. The nonpartisan organization has influenced generations of women, but continues to walk the tightrope of being too old-fashioned for some and too progressive for others. After Scandal, New Rules For Juveniles in Pa. Courts NPR, Joel Rose | March 3, 2012 Juvenile defendants in Pennsylvania will no longer be allowed to waive their right to an attorney. The move is a response to a notorious case of a corrupt judge who took cash from private prisons in exchange for convictions. Sports Rules Shift in Light of Concussion Research Education Week, Bryan Toporek | Feb. 29, 2012 Faced with data on head injuries, youth sports associations push for changes in order to protect young athletes from trauma during games and practice. Born to Not Get Bullied (Opinion) The New York Times, Nicholas Kristof | Feb. 29, 2012 Lady Gaga's Born This Way Foundation aims to nurture a more congenial environment in and out of schools. Experts and educators alike are are calling for more focus on bullying as a neglected area of education - and as a human rights issue. Housing Crisis Hits Poor Renters Hard Miller-McCune, Emily Badger | Feb. 29, 2012 In the face of foreclosures, low-income families are struggling to find affordable rental housing. South Florida Programs to Fight Childhood Obesity are Beginning to Show Results The Miami Herald, Lidia Dinkova | Feb. 28, 2012 YMCA KidFit and other programs are making a dent in the epidemic of childhood obesity, and boosting kids' self-confidence and health literacy along the way. Visit JCCF on the Web for more of the latest headlines on children & families | 
